Melachim Bais 11:3

3 And he was with her hid in the Beis Hashem shesh shanim. And Atalyah did reign over HaAretz.

Melachim Bais 11:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 11:3

And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years,
&c.] In the temple; not in the holy of holies, as Jarchi, but in a chamber of the priests and Levites, of which there were several in a temple, as Kimchi, and others; and the husband of Jehosheba, being high priest, had one of them for his own use; and here the child was hid six years, so that he was but a year old when he was first taken and preserved, for he was made king when seven years of age, ( 2 Kings 11:21 ) ,

and Athaliah did reign over the land;
the only instance we hear of a woman reigning in Israel, and this was not by right, but by usurpation; and so, according to the Jewish canons, a woman might not rule; which thus runs ^F1, they do not set a woman in the kingdom, as it is said, ( Deuteronomy 17:15 ) , "a king over them", not a queen; and so, in all places of power and authority in Israel, they put in them none but a man.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Maimon. Hilchot Melachim, c. 1. sect. 5.

Melachim Bais 11:3 In-Context

1 1 And when Atalyah em Achazyahu saw that her ben was dead, she arose and destroyed kol zera hamamlachah.

2 But Yehosheva Bat HaMelech Yoram, achot Achazyahu, took Yoash ben Achazyahu, and stole him from among the Bnei HaMelech which were being slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the cheder hamittot (bedroom) from Atalyah, so that he was not slain.

3 And he was with her hid in the Beis Hashem shesh shanim. And Atalyah did reign over HaAretz.

4 And the seventh year Yehoyada sent and got the commanders of hundreds, with the Kereti and [Peleti] bodyguard [of HaMelech] and brought them to him into the Beis Hashem, and made a Brit with them, and put them under oath in the Beis Hashem, and showed them the Ben HaMelech.

5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; a third part of you that come on duty on Shabbos shall even be Shomrei Mishmeret Bais HaMelech (Guards on duty at the Royal Palace);